Ask five people for an interior designer and you can end up with an interior design studio, an architecture practice, a decorator and a design-and-build company. All of them design homes. They differ in what they draw, who they work with and where their involvement stops.
This directory groups 17 Melbourne practices that publicly show residential interiors by how they work, so you can shortlist the right kind of practice before comparing portfolios.
FORJ wrote this directory. FORJ also designs homes, so to keep the list fair it is described separately at the end instead of being listed among the practices. Practices are grouped by how they work, alphabetical within each group and unranked, and none paid to appear. Each description draws on the practice's own website, read in October 2026.
Four ways a home gets designed
| Kind of practice | What they usually do | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| Interior design or interior architecture studio | Layouts, kitchens, bathrooms, joinery, finishes, lighting intent, often furniture | Renovations and new builds where the building design is settled or simple |
| Architecture and interiors practice | The building and the interior from one team | Extensions, new homes and structural work |
| Decoration and furnishing studio | Furniture, art, soft furnishings, styling | Finished or nearly finished homes |
| Design and build | Design and construction under one contract | New homes where one point of responsibility matters most |
In Victoria only registered architects can call themselves architects or offer "architectural services", according to the Architects Registration Board of Victoria. The Design Institute of Australia runs a voluntary accreditation for designers, which requires a relevant qualification, experience, professional indemnity insurance and ongoing training.
The builder side
Whoever designs the home, the building work is done by a builder. In Victoria, domestic building work worth more than $10,000 needs a registered builder and a major domestic building contract. For domestic building contracts signed from 1 July 2026, Home Warranty insurance is required for work valued at more than $20,000 on homes and residential buildings up to three storeys. Ask early whether the designer will work with your builder or introduce one.
Questions I would ask any designer
- Who will actually design my home, and who will I deal with each week?
- What will you draw, and what do you need from an architect, engineer or building designer?
- Do you take on furniture, or stop at the fixed elements?
- How do you charge, and what does the first stage cost?
- Can I see a finished home with a budget close to mine?
The furniture question deserves more weight than it usually gets. If furniture is planned after the electrical layout is fixed, pendants and power end up in the wrong places, which I wrote about in planning furniture before the electrical layout.
Interior design and interior architecture studios
Arent&Pyke
A Sydney practice with a Melbourne studio in Collingwood. Interior design and decoration across new builds, renovations, kitchens, bathrooms and heritage homes. Hawthorn House covered full interior design, custom fabrication, furnishing and art for a Victorian villa.
Consider them if: you have a period family home and want design and furnishing from one studio.
Biasol
Melbourne. Founded in 2012 by Jean-Pierre Biasol. Interior design and building design for new homes, renovations and extensions, through to styling, furniture and art. Projects include Scalpellino House and Casa Apertura.
Consider them if: you want one studio from planning through to furniture.
Fiona Lynch
Collingwood. Founded in 2013, and says its team includes a registered architect. Its work runs "from new builds to major structural renovations". Projects include Sorrento House, Auburn Residence and River House.
Consider them if: you are planning a major renovation with detailed joinery and stone.
Hecker Guthrie
Richmond. Led by founding principals Paul Hecker and Hamish Guthrie, with residential, hospitality, retail and commercial work. Homes include Balaclava Residence, Brighton Residence and Sorrento Residence.
Consider them if: you want an established studio whose homes are layered with antiques, art and pattern.
Meredith Lee
North Fitzroy. A residential studio working on single rooms, kitchens, bathrooms, full renovations, new homes and apartments, including furniture and soft furnishings.
Consider them if: your project is a single room, a bathroom or an apartment.
Studio Doherty
Hawthorn. Established by Mardi Doherty in 2014. New builds, developments and renovations, with furniture, textiles and art procured as part of the work. Projects include Hawksburn House, Gable House and South Yarra House.
Consider them if: you are renovating a period home and want bold interiors through to the art.
Studio Esar
Melbourne. Interior design, joinery and furniture curation led by Silvia Roldan, treating "architecture, interiors, joinery, furnishings and art" as one piece of work. Projects include Hampton and Tudorlea.
Consider them if: you want a smaller studio that handles joinery and furniture.
Studio Tate
Richmond. Describes itself as an interior architecture practice. Founded by Alex Hopkins in 2014, with homes and multi-residential work alongside workplace and hospitality. Homes include Kew Residence, Malvern Residence III and Toorak Residence I.
Consider them if: you want a practice that designs both family homes and apartment developments.
Architecture and interiors together
Cera Stribley
Richmond, with studios in Adelaide and Brisbane. Architecture, interiors, styling and landscape. Projects include Rondure House in Kew, Boxshall in Brighton and Deco House in Pascoe Vale South.
Consider them if: you want a larger practice designing the building and interior together.
Flack Studio
Fitzroy. Describes itself as a practice of architects and designers. Led by David Flack, its interiors are colour-rich and built around art. Homes include Chasselton, Terrace and Elwood.
Consider them if: colour and art are central to what you want.
Kennedy Nolan
Fitzroy. An architecture practice working since 1999, where interiors, lighting, curtains and furniture are selected as part of the design. Projects include Somers House and Ocean Grove House.
Consider them if: you are building new and want architecture and interiors conceived together.
Rob Mills Architecture & Interiors
Prahran. Architecture and interiors, with interior design also offered for existing homes, "from the first mood board to procurement and installation". Projects include Carrical and Armadale Residence.
Consider them if: you are working at the high end and want one practice for everything.
Robson Rak
Melbourne. Its site describes Kathryn Robson as an architect and Chris Rak as an interior architect. The practice focuses on Victorian and Edwardian homes, and its art and furniture consultancy can be engaged on its own. Projects include Lizzie Art House.
Consider them if: art and furniture matter as much as the building.
Studio Esteta
Fitzroy North. Describes itself as a registered architectural practice. Founded in 2015 by Sarah Cosentino and Felicity Slattery, it works on heritage renovations, extensions and coastal houses. Projects include Malvern East Terrace House and Inverleigh Farmhouse.
Consider them if: you are extending a Victorian terrace.
Decoration and furnishing
Furnishd
Collingwood. Furnishing and decoration packages with starting prices published on its site, plus full-scope design. Albert Park Residence was a furnishing-only project after the owners ran their own renovation.
Consider them if: the building work is done and you want a priced furnishing package.
Simone Haag
Collingwood, by appointment. Interior decoration and design, with furniture, art and object curation through to procurement. Weeroona House paired her decoration with another practice's architecture and interiors.
Consider them if: you want vintage and contemporary furniture and art in a finished home.
Design and build
InForm
Sandringham. An integrated builder and architect model since 1994, working with architects Pleysier Perkins on new homes. Projects include Cantilever House in Caulfield North.
Consider them if: you are building a new home and want design and construction under one contract.
Where FORJ fits
FORJ designs renovations, apartments, kitchens, bathrooms, joinery and furniture, planned together so the fixed decisions follow how each room will be used. See residential interior design in Melbourne.
Sources: each practice's own website, checked October 2026; Architects Registration Board of Victoria; Design Institute of Australia; Consumer Affairs Victoria; vic.gov.au.